I was born in 1980, so I largely missed the impact of the Reagan presidency. I consider myself to be a fiscal conservative and social liberal, so I must disagree with many of Ronald Reagan’s policies.
However, Ronald Reagan also typifies ‘world leader’ as I know it. He was larger than life. Perhaps it was the aura of my childhood and the specter of the cold war, but politics were much more simple then. Everyone respected Reagan because we had to. It was Reagan vs Russia, and we won.
Now, I don’t beleive Reagan deserves credit for ‘winning’ the Cold War. The Russians ‘lost’ that for themselves. Reagan did negotiate it’s end, and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude.
I am wondering what other people’s opinions are on him as a communicator and a leader. Also, do you think he is more deserving of the sainthood painted by the right, or the whirlwind disaster painted by the left.
